Avoiding Strife

As you seek the prosperity of this society, it is of vast importance that you should avoid contention. A contentious people will be a miserable people. The contentions that have been among you since I was your pastor have been one of the greatest burdens I have labored under in the course of my ministry—not only the contentions with me but those with one another. Contention, heat of spirit, evil speaking, and things of like nature, are directly contrary to the spirit of Christianity and, in a peculiar manner do tend to drive away God’s Spirit from a people and render all means of grace ineffectual, as well as destroy a people’s outward comfort and welfare.

Let me, therefore, earnestly exhort you as you would seek your own future good to hereafter watch for a contentious spirit (1 Peter 3:10&11). I would particularly advise those that have adhered to me in the late controversy to watch over your spirits and avoid all bitterness toward others. However wrong you think others may have been, maintain with great diligence and watchfulness a Christian meekness and gentleness of spirit; labor, in this respect, to excel those who are of a contrary part. This will be the best victory, for “he that ruleth his spirit is better than he that taketh a city.” Let nothing be done through strife or deceit. Indulge no revengeful spirit in any case but watch and pray against it; and, by all means in your power, seek the prosperity of this town. Never think you behave yourselves as becomes Christians except when you sincerely, sensibly, and fervently love all men, of whatever party or opinion, and whether friendly or unkind, just or injurious, to you or your friends, or to the cause and kingdom of Christ.

—Excerpt from Edwards’ farewell sermon

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